Comments on Chiropsalmus (Cnidaria: Cubozoa: Chirodropida): a preliminary revision of the Chiropsalmidae, with descriptions of two new genera and two new species
Author
Gershwin, Lisa-Ann
text
Zootaxa
2006
2006-06-12
1231
1
1
42
https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.1231.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.1231.1.1
11755334
5065038
CF595BCC-AD30-477F-92CE-D214F40B87CE
Genus
Chiropsella
,
gen. nov.
Type
species:
Chiropsella bronzie
,
gen. et sp. nov.
, herein designated.
Diagnosis
Chiropsalmidae
with divided pedalial canal, with each of the two branches giving rise to the fingers of the pedalia in a unilateral fashion, alternate or opposite to those on the other fork; with gastric saccules sessile, solid and unbranched.
Etymology
Chirops
to maintain a close relationship with
Chiropsalmus
, and
ella
, an affectionate suffix.
Remarks
The form of the gastric saccules was used by
Haeckel (1880)
to erect the genus
Chirodropus
as separate from
Chiropsalmus
, and again by
Southcott (1956)
to erect the new genus
Chironex
; the pedalial branching is also different between
Chiropsalmus
and these two genera, though this was not noted in either case. The form of the pedalial branching was used by
Southcott (1956)
to erect the genus
Chiropsoides
to pull another species away from
Chiropsalmus
, even though the gastric saccules were remarkably similar. All three of these generic erections have been widely accepted. In the case of the present species, it differs just as greatly in the form of both the saccules and the pedalial branching. At least one other species (from the
Northern Territory
,
Australia
) will soon be added to this new genus (Gershwin and Alderslade In review 2006).